SUPER NOVA Interludes
by carrotthemagnificent
Summary: Spoilers! Some references to Advent Children. Ever wonder what happens during Sephiroth's ultimate attack? THIS. *caution, some tobacco use and mild language*


The ground shook. The air grew tense as electricity collected in the dark clouds above. Thousands of miles beneath ground, at the core of the world, streams of mako were bubbling and converging. Something dark and sinister had disrupted the natural flow. The harbinger of darkness, Sephiroth, was fighting for the planets destruction. When he summoned meteor, causing it to crash to the earth and obliterate all life and himself in the process, Sephiroth would then be able to make his insane dream a reality; he would then be able to ride what was left of the planet, a massive ball of earth and lifestream, out into the cosmos like a gallant jockey at the Golden Saucer. If this were to happen, life as Cloud and the others knew it would end.

Well… duh.

Cloud, Tifa, and Barrett faced the half man, half-monster, waiting for his attack. Sephiroth smirked and flapped his wings, deciding on his next course of action. Gathering his strength, he decided to use his ultimate attack: SUPER NOVA.

He shot high into the sky, creating tornadoes with the massive white wings on his hips, abdomen dragging after him like a large legless turnip. He raised his arms, glowing with a golden aura.

In the universe, something stirred. It shook loose of the darkness that held it and hurtled away towards the ball of light at the center of a small solar system. Its trajectory offered no mercy. It was a meteor with purpose and intent. It crashed headlong into Pluto, and its speed and mass were so very high and dense that the small satellite planet did not stand a chance and was reduced to dust in the blink of an eye.

The next in its way was Saturn. The comet scraped by, vaporizing the thousands of suspended rocks that made up the planet's beautiful rings. Nothing would be spared in the projectile's wake.

Unfortunate Jupiter was the next in Destruction's path. As the projectile hurtled through the gas giant, a large hole was left at its center. The vapours surrounding the now non-existent core of the planet found release; there was no gravity left to chain them to that point in space any longer. A great burst of energy emitted from the widening hole as the remaining gravitational bonds dissolved. Jupiter exploded.

Plunging past the other orbiting planets, the comet sped right for its target, as though it had premeditated its trajectory from distant space. The sun burned brighter as the meteor hurtled into its fiery exterior and seemed to continue straight to its very heart.

For a few moments, nothing happened. The destruction of the other planets of the system seemed for nothing, and the rock's steadfast resolve to reach this point in space seemed almost comical if it meant its own end in this way.

Then suddenly, the sun began expanding. It began as a small disturbance on the sun's surface, an increase of heat and bubbling magma. It grew into a large rippling so that the round edges of the sun would warp and twist out of shape. Then, in silence, the sun expanded. Sephiroth's SUPER NOVA had begun. The next to go, as the sun swelled to a massive size, would be Mercury, followed shortly by Venus. The last engulfed by this raging ball of fire would be Earth, and Sephiroth, the sun growing behind him, would be the last thing his opponents would ever see.

Smiling, Sephiroth disappeared to summon the comet and have it destroy as he had envisioned. This would be fun.

Meanwhile…

Cloud tightened his grip on the leather handle. His newest sword glimmered in the green light the mako gave off. He loved his new sword. It had been ground to the sharpest edge possible, and it was fairly light to handle. The blonde swung it around experimentally as he watched Sephiroth vanish. To the others, Cloud had the appearance of a leader; he was strong and serious, and had a good head for strategy. To them now as he gazed at the spot Sephiroth had disappeared, he looked quite stoic with his expressionless face and cold, gleaming eyes. In reality, Cloud was bored out of his mind.

So was Yuffie. Cloud reached for his barrier materia and passively resumed his stance after finding his entire inventory gone. He wasn't the kind of guy to call blame on someone for their kleptomania. Tifa noticed the meaning behind the movement though- she ALWAYS did.

"Yuffie, give Cloud back his materia now," she scolded.

The young ninja's eyes grew wide as she feigned innocence. "Me? I didn't take anything. Did Cloud lose his materia?"

"Quit it!" Tifa said. "I see them behind your back. You can't hide it from me. Cloud's just too nice to say anything."

"Hmph," Yuffie grunted. "It's his own fault. He doesn't take very good care of them, you know."

"Are we talking about a chocobo or materia? Yuffie, you gotta stop doing this!"

While the two continued to argue, Cloud's mind drifted. Sephiroth was sure taking a while to finish his attack. And what had he meant by smiling like that before leaving? Was he just pretending to do an attack and really he just left them there? That jerk. Cloud's thoughts then turned to Tifa's large western hat.

Red XIII lit a cigarette for Cid who was nervously fidgeting with his lighter.

"Thanks, much appreciated," the old space veteran mumbled. He sucked away at the cigarette. "You should try it, Vincent," he said, offering another long cylinder to the grave man.

Vincent looked up from the folds of his cape and fixed his red eyes on the old man. "No thank you."

"Come on, Vince, it would be nice to have some similar company. I feel funny offering smokes to a bunch of teenagers."

"What about me?"

Cid frowned and breathed out a gray cloud in Cait Sith's face. "You're a damn puppet. I ain't giving no puppet a smoke."

Barret decided to pick up the conversation. "Fool, I ain't no damn puppet or minor. Give me one of those." The cigarettes changed hands and Barret's deep laugh erupted with a belch of smoke.

"I didn't know you smoked, Barret. Sorry I never offered," Cid said, dragging on the white tube.

"Just not in front of Marlene. I like a smoke just as much as any other man." It was slightly comical: Barret's large, husky frame and thick sausage fingers holding such a delicate roll of paper. Cid was cheered up by the company.

Red XIII went and sat beside Vincent, the two of them years apart and yet so close in mind. The beast looked up at the ceiling of the cave they were in and felt something deep stir within him. It was like what his Uncle Buggenhagen used to say he felt when a star exploded somewhere. The flame on the end of his tail flickered and his eyes scanned the ceiling. "There goes Pluto," he growled softly.

Beside him, Vincent nodded sagely and surveyed the foolishness before them.

Cloud's mind was completely clear of any thoughts. It had taken a few minutes but he remained silently pleased with the results. Suddenly, a hand yanked at his belt. "Hey!" Cloud exclaimed as Tifa buried her hand in his pockets.

"Shut up, Cloud," Tifa mumbled as she stuffed another ball of materia in with the other one. "The least you can do is thank me."

"Hee-eeeyyy!" Yuffie watched sullenly as Tifa attacked Cloud's pockets with materia. "We're a team. I don't see why Cloud should get all the good materia. He should share."

"You're not the one fighting Sephiroth right now."

"Yeah, and what's with that, anyway? Why don't I get to fight him?"

"Because there's only room for three over here and Cloud chose me over you. Got it?"

"Man, she's been waiting ages to say that," Barret snickered, smoke wreathing around his head.

Tifa flushed. Cloud laughed. She turned and punched him across the face.

Red XIII's tail twitched slightly. "Jupiter…" he murmered.

Cloud was astonished. "What was that for?"

Cait Sith bounced up and down, giggling madly. "Hit him again, Tifa! Right in the kisser!"

Tifa advanced on Cloud and then stopped, her face contorting in anguish. "Just… be strong!" she yelled and sat down on the ground, refusing to look at anyone.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Men."

"I don't understand…" _Nobody understands me. Everything would be better if I just… disappeared._ Ghost Aerith whispered to him: 'Don't do that. Then you'll end up like me… and that would just be really awkward, what with me being together with Zack and all…' Cloud looked up, shocked. How could she? The time they had shared had been special—he had really liked her! Cloud glanced at Tifa. Maybe he liked Tifa. He heard a snort of disgust in his head. 'Pffft!' Ghost Aerith sounded annoyed. 'I was going to hang around haunting you for eternity and making you feel guilty for leaving me in a cloud with a thousand flowers, but I guess not. After knowing how fast you can move on like that, I guess that doesn't make me as special anymore does it?' Cloud felt guilty, but Ghost Aerith mentally waved him off. 'I'm out of here. Come on Zack. Where's the door in this place, anyway?' Cloud returned to his Tifa musings.

"You ever notice," Cid drawled as he played with his lighter. "How a cigarette looks like a spaceship? Lights at one end, it's white. Circular."

"Cylindrical, fool."

"Yeah, what you said. I wonder if you can build a spaceship outta cigarettes. Man, that would be one sweet ride." He took another drag on his future ambition.

"Tifa!" Cloud took a step forward. "I like you. A lot!"

She glared at him. "Yeah, I like you too, Cloud."

Cloud frowned. "No, I have strong feelings for you. I just can't express what I feel…"

Tifa's eyes widened. "Does this mean you'll spend the next few years with me, start a delivery service and maybe work in foster care at my bar?"

Cloud's brain shut down. "…" he said.

Red XIII's eyes flashed. "Everyone…"

Vincent's gauntlet glinted as his arms dropped to his sides, his body tense with readiness. Their reactions somehow went unnoticed.

"You love me!"

"Huh? Wait-"

"You love me a lot! I love you, too!"

"Woah, calm down, Tifa, I never said-!"

"You have to; I'll die if you don't!" Tifa stood before him, hands almost gripping his throat.

Yuffie snickered and sat down next to Cait Sith. "Don't you just love domestic disputes? Leaves them totally off-guard." She sighed contentedly, tossing a summons materia up and down.

"It's ingenious! I'll patent the sucker. Shinra dogs got nothing on me!" Cid stamped out the light and padded his jackets for another smoke.

Barret grinded his cigarette under his heel and exhaled. "WhooooOO! Now I feel like kicking some ass! Where's Sephiroth? Gotta school that turnip."

"Hey, Barret, what are you thinking of doing after we're done here?" Cid asked tentatively.

"Well, I was thinking of ditching Marlene while I seek my fortune. Maybe digging oil so that I can make enough gold to supe up my village, y'know?"

"How 'bout digging oil on Mercury, huh?" Cid put an arm conspiratorially around Barret. "I think we should do business. Space business!"

"Mercury…. "

"Good oil there, Red?"

"What about Mercury?" Cloud asked, desperate for a change in topic.

Red XIII fixed his large, serious eyes on the group and blinked slowly. "It's gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" Tifa asked, confused.

"Destroyed." Vincent's voice was scratchy from disuse. "The Harbinger's ultimate attack. SUPER NOVA."

"Son of a bitch! He killed our dream, Barret!"

"You mean all this time he's been gone he's been destroying Mercury?" Cloud asked, aghast.

Vincent and Red XIII exchanged a glance. "Jupiter, Pluto, the Sun. He's destroying the solar system to kill us." Red XIII paused momentarily as the words sunk in. "It'll be here soon."

Silence reigned over the band of heroes.

Finally Yuffie spoke. "Doesn't it seem just a little bit excessive to destroy the entire solar system just to kill us?"

Tifa glanced at Cloud. "He must really hate you."

"Well, I did kill him," he answered.

"'Bout that," Cid said, straightening. "Why the hell's he still alive if you killed him?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, what, we got a few hours to go, right, Red?"

"Minutes. Maybe seconds."

"Give me the compressed version."

Cait Sith jumped up and down nervously. "What you noodles doing with yer rhubarb? The world's ending and we're neck deep in brackish water! Give me an oar!"

"Woah! Did Reeve leave the controls for a second or is this some sort of joke?" Yuffie picked up the gray cat and examined it. "Doesn't seem broken. Tee hee, you kind of sound like Barret."

"What?" Barret looked offended.

Suddenly, Sephiroth appeared before them, smiling, his long white hair flowing angelically. All stood stunned as light engulfed the wall behind him and sunlight filled the cave. Then a wall of intense heat struck them with the force of a sumo wrestler, crushing their bodies and smothering them in light and silence and who knows what levels of radiation. All thought it was the end, and yet all survived.

When the light dissipated and sight returned to each, the fighters staggered shakily to their feet and faced the floating Sephiroth. The Harbinger of Darkness blinked a few times, positively confused why his attack had not obliterated the heroes (not to mention the planet).

"Hmm, that tickled a little," Cloud gasped as he leaned heavily on his sword. His eyelids fluttered as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness. "Ultimate attack, huh?"

"My fist has a better punch," Tifa offered breathlessly.

"Wutai forever!" Yuffie cried, fist weakly pumping the air.

"I don't understand…" Sephiroth stared at the gang with interest. "How are you still alive?"

"How are _you_ still alive?" Cid yelled, still collapsed on the floor.

"How is this planet still intact?" Sephiroth glanced around at the walls and swirling mako energy.

Red XIII's clear green eyes gazed at the cave's roof and grinned. "The planets…"

"Restored." Vincent finished, slouched on the floor.

Suddenly, Sephiroth snarled. "I will destroy you! I will! Even if I have to destroy the solar system a million times, I will kill you!" And with those words, he disappeared again.

A minute passed before Yuffie pulled out a bottle from her item pouch. "Tea party anyone?" she gasped.

"Me."

"Me."

"Me."

"Here." Yuffie began handing out bottle after stolen bottle. "Aren't you glad I stole all of these? We wouldn't have enough otherwise," she said pointedly to Tifa.

Tifa paused mid-swallow and shook her head. "Whatever. As long as you aren't stealing from us."

Cloud looked at the potion. _Bottle…_

Red XIII smiled grimly and turned to Vincent. "Pluto's gone."

"Again. I know." As they sipped their potions and gazed at the frivolity around them, it became almost impossible to tell that the universe was crashing down… again.


End file.
